# I Replaced a $100K Security Audit with a CI Pipeline — And It Caught More Bugs
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When I built UltrafastSecp256k1 — a high-performance secp256k1 cryptography library targeting CPU, CUDA, OpenCL, Metal, ESP32, and a dozen other platforms — I faced a decision every serious crypto library author eventually faces. "You need a third-party audit." The quotes I got: $80K–$120K. Two weeks of engagement. A PDF. No contractual accountability for what happens after the next commit. I couldn't afford it. And honestly, once I understood what I was actually buying, I didn't want it. So